There are so many times when we pray and pray and seek God and what we ask for is not the way it turns out. What then?
There are 3 examples I think of for now: Josi whose life was spared through a miraculous discovery by a dog as she lay in the muddy field face down, unable to move after a terrible car accident that should have taken her life. She was spared. Now 3 years later, she is still fighting to be able to walk, talk, eat - I guess you could say she was spared, but for what purpose? We pray and pray, and nothing changes much. She was only 17 at the time. Our nephew, Mike, suffered with cancer, and died - in the prime of his life - 48 years old! He was a wonderful man, left his young son and wife. So heartbreaking. He is the uncle of Josi. We are very close to that family, and this is so hard for us. My sister, Pat, suffered with bladder cancer and fought the good fight, almost conquering the beast, and then succumbed to it on July 4th last year. We were devastated!
I know Josi has a purpose for her life. Her Dad, Joe, told me that he knows what the purpose is - because of this awful accident and her "miraculous" rescue, it brought his family to the Lord. They came together to pray every day, and God is present in their prayer - they FEEL him there!
It was so hard to understand why God would take Mike at such an important time in his life. And Patsy, too. But when we went to their funerals, pretty heartbroken over their deaths, it was not a gloomy funeral - either of them - it was more like a celebration.
That's because both Patsy and Mike were believers in God and heaven, and people got up and shared mostly about where Patsy and Mike are now, and how they all knew they would see them again. Everyone was sad, and tears flowed, and stuff, we miss them . . . but we were okay with it in another way. I think it's because we truly, really believe we will be with them again. I know that is true.
Because Jesus said he would take anyone who believed in Him with Him to heaven. I know that Jesus lives today, because I have seen him do so much over the years. I can honestly say that I know Him. So, when someone dies, we can know that we will see them again in a very real place just like now. And that is why the Bible says that as believers, we do not 'grieve like people who have no hope.' Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 17. We are sad, but we are certain that it is not over.
Do I ever have doubts? Yes! I used to have lots of doubts, but I am realizing more and more that God the Father, Jesus His son, and the Holy Spirit is REAL! There is a lot I don't understand, especially when bad things happen, like Josi's accident, and Mike and Patsy's death. But I know He is real, and I trust Him with the things I do not understand and take comfort in the fact that He gets it even when I don't.
It's kind of like when my kids and grandkids were little, and things would happen that I understood, but they didn't get it. When they would ask, I'd explain, but they still didn't understand. When they were pre-school and young children they were not yet capable of understanding the things that adults can fully comprehend. So they would say "oh" and ask "when's supper"? Somehow you were all okay with the fact that you didn't get it, but I did. And I guess that's how I am. I don't have a problem with the fact that there are things I do not understand about God or why He allows some things to happen. If I can understand things my kids can't, I can certainly see how an infinite God can understand things that I can't.
When we connect ourselves to the SOURCE of all that's good, we open our lives up to unimaginable blessings. Reflect awhile on this truth and the power of this secret of God. Then maybe you will want to share what this all means to you!
(from pages 40 - 42)
6 comments:
I have a few examples of understanding things my kids and grandkids don't. This first story is probably pretty much inappropriate for this kind of blog, but it what has been the example I've been thinking of all day and it doesn't leave me, so here goes:
When Jeremy first moved here, he was about 2, and just beginning to talk. He followed me everywhere jabbering away when his Mom was working and I was the baby-sitter. One day, I went into the bathroom. He wanted to come in there, but I locked the door so he couldn't. When I came out he said "Grandma, do have a pee pee?" I said "uh, uh, no". To which he asked "What do you have, just a butt"? "I said "uh, uh, no", wondering what will I do or say next? But, he was satisfied with that answer and went about doing whatever 2 year olds do in their day. I knew what I was talking about, but he couldn't understand it. Right? When he was about 10 (?) I said to him "Jeremy, you are such a great kid - how did we ever get you anyway"? To which he promptly replied "Well, it all began in my Daddy's spectacles (testacles?) and he went through the whole entire process while Linda and I sat there in shock, not knowing he even knew any of that stuff. I'm not sure he understood it, but he was saying it and it shocked us. Come to find out, he had just watched a film about sex education. Oh my!
And one time when we "adults" were all playing a game upstairs while Chad and Brea were playing downstairs. we heard Chad say to Brea "Let's play bible study". She said "Yeah", and Chad said "Okay, You be Jesus and I'll be the Bible". I don't think they quite understood what Bible Study was.
Are these good examples - or am I ex-communicated?
Do you have examples? Or anything you want to share about this subject?
I think you explained it very well (even without the examples), Lonnie.
When my lung doctor first told me that I had cancer, I could tell that he had a really hard time giving me that news. I looked him in the eye and told him that I was going to be okay, even if I didn't make it and died, I was going to be okay. Now, I don't know if anyone other than a Christian can fully understand that way of thinking, but it is how I feel. Thank God that I was given a strong Christian foundation in my childhood and came back to it many years later! Thank God.
Yes, THANK GOD, Sharon. Our family learned a very strong faith when we were young, didn't we? I sure am happy about that. I wonder how people handle the HUGE problems of life - and death - when they meet them, if they don't believe in God, and have a personal relationship with Jesus, His son. Thanks for sharing.
Mom...you are so hilarious!!! These are very good examples. I remember when we were talking about hiking up to Glacier Lake and Chad was bragging that he could go there even when he was 2. Brea said, " I was there when you were two yrs old, too! I was looking out of mom's belly button!"
Well, maybe that is not such a good example, but it is funny.
Anyway, Nice food for thought.
Sharon, your story about comforting the Dr. is very amazing. It brought tears to my eyes.
Thanks for sharing.
Karen
Um, yes these stories do get the point across, but I wouldn't ask if you could give the homily at mass on Sunday. Wow, what a concept to be looking death (the unknown) in the face and to be so brave. I look forward to the family reunion we will have when we all get there.
The best example I can give is my finances. God never trusts me with too much, but when things look bleak, I turn it over to God and he always comes through in the least expected ways. He doesn't support my overspending habits, but he gives me what I need. When I'm feeling weak, I look backwards and can see how he has taken care of me every step of the way.
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